Find Criminal Court Records in New York County

Criminal court records in New York County cover all of Manhattan. The Manhattan Criminal Court at 100 Centre Street handles misdemeanors, violations, and initial felony proceedings. The Supreme Court at 60 Centre Street takes felony trials and appeals. New York County is part of the First Judicial District. Manhattan has one of the busiest criminal court systems in the world, processing tens of thousands of cases each year. The Office of Court Administration maintains criminal history records. You can search through the OCA statewide system for $95, use WebCrims for pending cases, or visit the courthouse in person.

New York County Criminal Court System

The Manhattan Criminal Court sits at 100 Centre Street. It hears all misdemeanor cases, violations, and traffic infractions in the borough. It also handles the initial stages of felony cases, including arraignments and preliminary hearings. The court has specialized parts for treatment court, domestic violence, and human trafficking intervention cases.

Once a felony case moves past the grand jury stage, it goes to the Supreme Court, Criminal Term. The Supreme Court building is at 60 Centre Street. This court handles felony trials, sentencing, and post-conviction motions. E-filing is mandatory for most case types in New York County. The County Clerk maintains the official records for Supreme Court cases.

Manhattan's criminal court system processes a huge volume of cases. The court operates multiple arraignment shifts to keep up with the flow of arrests. If you are looking for records from a specific case, having the case number or docket number will speed things up a lot.

Manhattan District Attorney

The Manhattan District Attorney's office is one of the largest prosecutor's offices in the country. It is located at 1 Hogan Place, New York, NY 10013. The main phone number is (212) 335-9000. The DA prosecutes all felony and misdemeanor crimes in New York County.

The office has specialized bureaus for homicide, special victims, cybercrime, identity theft, and major economic crimes. The Witness Aid Services Unit provides crisis intervention, court accompaniment, and witness protection. The DA's office reviews every arrest in Manhattan and makes charging decisions. For case status questions, contact the office at manhattanda.org.

How to Search New York County Criminal Court Records

Manhattan has multiple ways to search for criminal court records. Each method has different strengths.

WebCrims shows pending criminal cases from courts with electronic filing. It is free. You can search by name or docket number. It covers active Manhattan cases. It will not show sealed records or cases that are fully resolved. This is a good starting point for checking on an active case. Visit the WebCrims portal to search.

The OCA Criminal History Record Search costs $95 per name. It covers records from all 62 counties. You submit a name and date of birth. Results come by email the next business day. The search includes Supreme Court, Criminal Court, and city court data. Sealed records under CPL 160.50 are not included. Apply at ww2.nycourts.gov or by mail to 25 Beaver Street, Room 940, New York, NY 10004.

For a Certificate of Disposition, go to the court where the case was heard. The Manhattan Criminal Court at 100 Centre Street handles misdemeanor certificates. The Supreme Court clerk at 60 Centre Street handles felony case certificates. The fee is $10. You need the defendant's name and case information. CPL 160.50 blocks access to sealed records. CPL 160.55 covers non-criminal dispositions.

You can also visit the OCA office in person at 25 Beaver Street for same-day CHRS results if the search comes back with no hits. If a record exists, results take until the next business day due to the review process.

Criminal Record Sealing in New York County

New York does not have expungement. The state uses record sealing. CPL 160.50 requires automatic sealing when a case ends in the defendant's favor. Dismissals, acquittals, and adjournments in contemplation of dismissal all get sealed once the matter is closed. Manhattan courts process a very high volume of sealing orders.

CPL 160.58 allows courts to seal some drug convictions after a defendant finishes a treatment program. CPL 160.59 lets a person petition to seal up to two older convictions. Only one can be a felony. The Manhattan DA's office responds to every sealing petition. A Supreme Court judge makes the final decision.

Judiciary Law 255 gives courts broad authority over their records and proceedings. If you need to seal a Manhattan record, file a motion with the court. Legal aid groups in New York City can help. The Legal Aid Society and other defense organizations handle sealing motions regularly.

New York County Criminal Court Records Fees

The OCA statewide search is $95 per name. Each alias and different date of birth counts as a separate search. A Certificate of Disposition is $10. Copies of court documents are charged per page.

Pay online with credit or debit card for the CHRS search. Corporate accounts can use ACH payments. Mail-in requests need a money order. The DCJS offers a separate fingerprint-based record check for people who want their own arrest history. Details are at criminaljustice.ny.gov.

Legal Help in New York County

Manhattan has more legal aid options than almost any other county. The Legal Aid Society is the largest public defender organization in the country. They handle criminal defense and can help with record sealing. Other public defense groups include New York County Defender Services and Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem.

The New York City Bar Association runs a legal referral service. The New York State Bar Association at nysba.org also has a directory. Free court forms are at ww2.nycourts.gov. The NYC 311 service at portal.311.nyc.gov can point you to city-specific resources for criminal record questions.

Cities in New York County

New York County is coextensive with the Borough of Manhattan. All criminal cases in Manhattan go through the New York County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border New York County. Criminal cases must be filed in the county where the crime took place.